Projectile-loading for scattering charges.



50 i'litrotoluol.

UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST SOKOLOWSKI, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU PONT m; NEMOOTBS POWDER COMPANY, OF. WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

No Drawing;

Specification 01 Letters Patent.

PBOJ'ECTILE-LOADING FOB sca'rzrnnme oneness.

Patented Jan. 1 6,ji91l2.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST SoKoLowsKI, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Hamburg, Germany, have invented a 5 new and useful Improvementin Projectile- Loading for Scattering Charges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Y

My invention relates to an improved loading of uniform projectiles for guns, hand grenadesga-nd the like, in which a scattering charge similar to shrapnels is embedded in plastic trinitrotoluol.

Heretofore balls, or the scattering charge similar in shape to balls, were loaded in'the projectile by being placed in the explosive, for instance trinitrotoluol, by the trinitrotoluol in a fused state, being poured into the space between the balls and permitted to chill. 'Trinitrotoluol, in a crystalline con= dition, had also been pressed between'the balls. The pouring methocFhas the disadvantage that the fused trinitrot oluol between the balls is too inert, that is, its property of detonation and propagating the detonation is such that large priming charges and strong caps are required to be used in order to insure, with certainty, a detonation. With the pouring method also the balls or parts of the scattering charge are placed in such a manner that they are not insured against too close relation of the parts of the scattering charge. If they are brought too close-together, there is a liability of a premature ignition of the explosive which causes detonations in the barrel of the gun which are greatly to be feared. Even if this does not occur, the center of gravity of the projectile is changed due to the shifting of the balls or the parts of the scattering charge, and the line of flight of different projectiles is not uniform. It is for this reason generally preferred to place the balls in a fixed position by means of pressing. -This is of special importance view of the certainty of the propagation of detonation, and crystalline, weakly pressed trinitrotoluol is considei'ably more sensitive and capable of -1'iropagating the detonation than fused tri- Iressed trinitrotoluol has, however, the disadvantage that the explosive ispressed in crystalline state and that as a consequence thereof the same is embedded dry and in extremely finely divided state between 55 the balls or parts of the scattering charge.

Application filed June 9, 1911. Serial No. 632,207.

Besides the danger present-in car ,-.out the process of ressing, it is of disadvantage that considera le pressure is required der to obtain a solid structure inthegexjbl sive material in such manner thatth'. bells; etc., appear sutliciently supported -,bysame. This rigidly placing of the .ballsearr be obtained only in such manner; that the balls prepared of yielding material;f 'such, ashard lead are more or less deformed andthatitliey'cb lose the shape which for .reasons,of suitg bility has been impartedfto' tIiemY-Int e case of balls made of a harder material, such j'; as steel, or forged iron, the pressin method" is not suitable on account of the; an er of an. explosion during the'pres'singL ,uei t'o the fact that it is hardly possible. to prevent with certainty the shifting of someof the' balls during the first impact of the projectile in the barrel ofthe gun, there is at all times .75 to be considered the danger of the" possibility of a premature ignition of the explosive, even when pressedcrystallinetrinitrotoluol is used. 1. overcome these disadvantages by my invention, which consists in forming the embedding charge of plastic trinitrotoluol.

In carrying out my invention I press plastic trinitrotoluol into one or more layers of the balls or scattering charge. The trinitrotoluol being plastic, the-pressure need be but 8.5 slight and is continued until the space available for the explosive charge is filled. .Balls' and plastic trinitrotoluol can also be placed in the projectile in alternate layers and pressed together.

My invention, has, among others, the following advantages :Plastic trinitrotoluol dew the detonation with utmost certainty, and detonates with a strength which is hardly 6 inferior to that of pure crystalline trinitro-- ,toluol. It is readily and with certainty pressed by means of a weak pressure into the interstices between the balls andthe other parts of the scattering. charge. interstices well. The halls are not deformed owing to the weak pressure used. Premature ignitions are not to be expected owing to the weak pressure used and owing to' the toluolfthe moisture content of the plastictrinitrotoluol acts during the operation of-- pressing in the manner of a lubricant This is also the case during firing. The balls, or

tonates easily and with certainty, propagates moist, fatty character of the plastic trinitroscattering charge are held in an exceedingly yielding rigid fixed position, the ex losive.

a solid mass oflering to the alls amore solid support, than is'the case, when nsing, for in-- stance weakly re'ssed crystalline trinitrotolnol. This re uces to a the posibility of detonations-in.the barrel of the ters Patent is:

1'. An improved projectile loading" for scattering charges, comprisin a scattering chargeembedded in plastic trmitrotoluol. 1

, improved projectile loading for scattering charges, comprising a scattering charge embedded in pressed plastic trinitrotoluo 3. An improved projectile loading .for scattering charges, comprising balls rlgidly placed bynleans of embedding formed of plastic *trin'itrotoluol.

4.- Animproved projectile loading for scattering charges comprising balls rigidly placed by means bf embedding formed of pressed-plastic trinitrotoluol.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto 'set my hand, at Hamburg, on'this 24th day of May, 1911. ERNST SOKOLOWSKI. Witnesses]: PLoKsoU NAot'rM,

ERNEST H. L. M mmmnorr. 

